Not a Bad Day

Harry sighed as he once again ran over a conversation in his head, each try always leading to him looking and feeling like an idiot – or worse. He wasn't about to take that chance, not with him. The bus was delayed – again – and by the time he got on, failed to get a seat, was pushed off at his stop, and ran to work, he was going to be late. Again. His boss, Mr. Snape warned him each of the last 100 times that one day he'll have to be reprimanded for all this missed days, and Harry was scared that it was going to be reflected in his pay check. Having his pay docked was not something that he could afford. He was already behind on all his bills, plus he was still working through his student loans. Every time Harry thought about those he'd groan and chuckle dryly at all the good his degree is doing; gathering dust in a drawer in his worn down apartment. His job didn't even require any expertise, Harry had just never managed to quit. 'I'll only be here for a year,' he had said to himself upon getting the job; seven years later and he was still stuck doing a job he hated with people he couldn't stand. Well, mostly.

There was one person he liked. No, not in that way! Well… that may not be completely, or at all true. About two years into his meaningless time at 'Elixir & Co.' – a company with the soul focus to swindle tax payers like our hero, Harry J. Potter and many others out of their savings – Harry was introduced to a new member of their staff, Neville Longbottom. Instantly all the women and half the men in the office fell in love with him. His dopey smile, and handsome looks winning the heart of any who looked in his direction. Five years on and Harry had never heard even a hint of Neville dating anyone. Although, there was one week where Pansy Parkinson claimed at she was carrying his baby, but that was quickly resolved.

Harry pulled his jacket closer around him, cursing himself for not waking up earlier that morning. He turned around, trying to find a seat, but they were all taken. As his back was toward the road, he heard the sharp honk of a car horn and whipped back to look. Neville was looking through the open window at him, a smile on his face.
"Harry!"
"Neville?"
"Do you want a lift?" Neville asked, holing out his hand in question. He quickly looked over his shoulder, making sure a bus wasn't about to ram into his car. Harry stared, shocked at his co-worker's sudden appearance. He decided that he would rather have an awkward conversation than be late again, so he smiled and slipped into the car.
"Thanks."
"Anytime." Neville didn't look at him as he pulled back out into the traffic, checking over his shoulder too many times – a habit of a nervous driver, Harry assumed. Harry was glad Neville wasn't looking, as he was sporting a ridiculously goofy grin, and cheeks as red as tomatoes.

"You didn't have to do that," Harry said slowly, looking out the window. Neville smiled, looking over at Harry quickly before his eyes darted back to the road.
"Of course I did, I'm your friend! That's what friends do." Neville's hands were gripping the wheel tightly, his knuckles going white. Harry frowned, not sure what was causing this reaction in the driver.
"We're friends?"
"I'd like us to be." Harry felt his face flush again, cursing his emotions for being so easily seen.
"I'd like that too," Harry said softly, before looking back out the window.

They weren't too far from the office building when Neville spoke again.
"Do you live close to that bus stop?" he asked casually, sending a smile in Harry's direction.
"Yeah, about half a block," Harry said, shrugging his shoulders. Neville was staring at the road, his bottom lip between his teeth.
"I didn't realise we lived so close to each other, we could have carpooled this entire time." Harry looked at Neville with an expression one of shock mixed with strangled hope.
"You live near there?"
"Yeah, a couple streets down," Neville responded, looking to Harry in the process. They shared a look for a few moments before Neville turned back to the road. "Why'd you look so miserable?" Harry sighed, placing his chin in his hand and leaning his elbow on the window sill.
"I've been constantly late because of this roadwork, it's causing my bus to be delayed every day. Snape's on my ass about it, and I thought today might be the last straw."
"Lucky I saved you then," Neville said, his chest puffing out as he laughed.
"My hero," Harry said before he realised what he was doing. He looked at Neville, but the other man didn't meet his eyes. Idiot, Harry! What were you thinking!?

They arrived at the office with no more talk, which Harry was thankful for – that way he couldn't continue to embarrass himself. Harry glanced up at the clock as he entered, laying his bag on his desk and stripping his jacket off – ten minutes early! Harry's face broke into a smile, knowing there was no way he could get in trouble today. Harry was warm almost instantly, as the office was kept at a warm to hot temperature every day. It had been that way since he was hired, and Harry always heard the women joke that it was because if it were hot, they wouldn't be able to cover up. Harry always thought that was a disgusting idea, but wouldn't put it past Mr. Snape.

He watched as Neville made his way to his desk, which wasn't too far from where Harry himself worked. Harry almost had to stop himself from checking the man out when he pulled off his coat and revealed the most perfectly fitted suit in history. Harry hadn't really paid too close attention to Neville's clothing before now, but knew the man liked his suits baggy, and unrevealing. Harry always thought that maybe Neville wasn't too happy with how he looked. But all of those suspicions had been thrown out the window in that moment. Harry looked around to see all the woman, even those with little gold bands on their left hand, unashamedly check out their co-worker.

Severus Snape, the villain of the workplace, walked from his private office – with the plaque on the door reading 'Manager'. His face was set in a perpetual sneer, and he was looking for trouble.
"Potter," he said as he approached Harry, his arms folded across his chest, "I see you have managed to turn up for work on time, for once. That's nice to see." Harry pursed his lips, knowing that if he said anything right now it could be used against him. He nodded, meeting Snape's eyes.
"I hope this habit continues." Harry watched as he walked away, letting out a deep breath he had been holding. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry could see Snape approach Neville, and something inside him began to stir. He couldn't hear their conversation, but by the look on Neville's face, it wasn't going well. Harry crossed the room almost instinctively, wanting to help out his friend anyway he could.
"…and I hope that you remember that next time you do something that stupid! Because undoubtedly you will!" Snape looked almost furious, and Harry couldn't remember the last time he had seen their boss this angry. "Do you have anything to say?!" Harry knew this was a loaded question, and knew he had to do something. Neville opened his mouth to speak, but before he could Harry jumped in front of him.
"It was my fault, Sir," he said, wondering what he had just owned up to.
"Your fault, Potter?" Snape said, puffing out his chest in warning. "You signed, with Mr Longbottom's signature, on a document with a wildly incorrect shipping amount, meaning that not only do we only have ten of our most popular item coming in for next month, but we have one million copies of Arthur Weasley's Rubber Duck Analysis. How many of those do you think we've ever sold?" Harry was silent, not sure what to say. "Huh? You don't want to speak now? Gone shy?"
"A thousand?"
"Three." Snape looked almost murderous as he said it, the word almost hissing out of his mouth. "So, Mr Potter, tell me. Is that what happened?" Harry did not break eye contact with Snape as he considered his options.
"Yes."

The rest of the day went by with nothing spectacular happening. A couple of the women who witnessed the screaming match between Snape and Harry – which was sadly one-sided, approached him to offer their congratulations on his bravery. Snape had walked away after Harry took the blame, almost firing the next person who entered the office for being two minutes late. Harry had to admit, the look on Seamus' face was priceless, but he would not have wanted to be in his shoes. Neville had continuously thanked him for stepping in, saying he would be in his debt forever.
"You really, really, really didn't have to do that," he repeated again as they were standing at the copier, waiting for their turn. Harry turned to him, a large smile on his face.
"Neville, it's really okay. That's what friends are for, right?" Harry quirked his eyebrow, and slapped his hand on Neville's upper arm. It was in this moment that Harry realised, not only how muscly his arms were, but also how much taller Neville was. When the other man smiled at Harry reference to their conversation in the car, Harry couldn't help as his mind wandered. He was imagining Neville thanking him by leaning down, his plump lips coming to rest on Harry's, his sweet sent filling –

Harry jumped back to the present when the copier was dropped closed as its previous user finished up. Neville was smiling still, causing Harry to smile back. It took all of his strength not to grab the other man's face and recreate his fantasy.
"Hey, I was thinking," Neville spoke as Harry turned to use the machine. "Maybe you'd want to get a drink with me, tonight, to celebrate saving each other's asses?" He looked a little nervous as he spoke, but Harry shrugged it off.
"Yeah, sounds fun," he agreed, finishing up with his papers. "Where'd you want to go?"
"Ever been to the Hog's Head?"

Harry had never been to the bar Neville suggested, but was willing to try it out. It wasn't too far from his house, so he met Neville there, deciding to walk to clear his mind. All day he had been focused on the kiss he had imagined, and now every time he saw Neville, he had the urge to make it a reality. But he couldn't. Not only were they suddenly actual friends now, but he had no way of knowing if Neville was into him, or if he'd ruin everything by trying. He arrived a little early, not wanting to make Neville wait, and found them a couple seats at the bar. The owner was a grumpy old man, with a beard so long Harry almost couldn't believe it was real. He was only waiting for a few minutes until Neville arrived, greeting the bartender with a warm familiarity – asking about his family, inquiring at his sister's health – this seemed to perk the older man up, making him smile slightly. It seemed Neville was a regular here, because before he even sat done two beers were sitting in front of them. Harry wondered if he brought other friends, or something more, here. He stopped this train of thought when Neville turned to him with a smile.
"We've worked together for five years, and I don't think I know anything about you?"

The men spent the next few hours going over the most innocent, and the most random topics of their lives. As they did the bar slowly emptied until they were the last patrons in it. They talked of family, career, pets, dreams, ambitions, favourite foods. They briefly tried to discuss love lives, but fell short when both realised the other was not extremely experienced in that area. They had a couple drinks, stopping the beer once to do a shot, then starting back on the 'easy stuff', Neville liked to call it. By the end of the night the two were a little tipsy, but perked up on the excitement more than anything else.
"Why didn't you talk to me?" Neville said after a truly exhausting fit of laughs.
"What'd you mean?" Harry frowned, twisting to face him on his stool.
"When I started, you didn't talk to me. You said 'hi' once, then was really back-off-ish?" Harry tried to think back to that time, and knew it was probably a lot to do with the huge crush he had quickly formed on Neville.
"I was probably intimidated," Harry said, fiddling with the beer in his hand. "Everyone instantly liked you, so it was kinda crazy."
"Did you instantly like me?" Neville was looking at Harry with an intense gaze that he couldn't place.
"Yeah, I guess," he said, not sure why he did. But he had little time to think about it because as he did, Neville stood from his stool and closed the small gap between them with a stride. His hand found Harry's hip, pulling him to the edge of the stool. There was a moment when Harry's mind was racing, trying to figure out what was happening, and then they kissed.

Neville's other hand was on his cheek, cupping his jaw. Harry wasn't sure what to do with his own hands as his eyes fluttered close. Neville's lips were soft, and he smelt as good as Harry imagined. Without thinking, he let his hand come to rest on the back of Neville's neck, pulling him closer. The stool Harry was seated on gave Harry some extra height, leaving Harry the same height as Neville as he stood between his legs. The kiss was sloppy. Teeth were clicking as the men smiled, breaths were hitching when their bodies pressed too close together. Neville broke the kiss, his breathing fast. He stared at Harry as the other man caught his breath as well. Harry suddenly felt self-conscious. That was the first time he had done that with a man he knew, and he didn't want to think of what might happen. He quickly slid off the stool, looking around awkwardly. Neville frowned.
"I – uh, um," Harry was trying to find words to say, but couldn't think straight.
"Sorry, I didn't…" Neville started, but didn't go after him when Harry took a few steps away.
"That's okay… It's probably because we're drunk," Harry said, trying to pass it off as no big deal, even though his heart was pumping so fast.
"I'm not drunk." Harry stared at Neville, his eyes wide.
"Neither am I." Neville took a step forward, his face shifting into a small smirk. Harry had to tilt his head up to look at him, swallowing hard. "My apartment is a block away."

;)

A/N – Words: 2562

For my friend, WolfWinks! Happy dunking! Pairings: Romantic - Harry/Neville (OTP). Prompts: (dialogue) "You didn't have to do that." / "Of course I did, I'm your brother (or sister, or friend etc.)." (word) strength (AU) muggle